Loose-leaf binder



May 26, 1925.

E. A. PRATT LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed March 18. 1921 mp /276" Z4MZ.M

Patented May 26, 1925.

EDWARD A. PRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed March 18, 1921. Serial No. 453,491.

T 0 all whom. it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, Eownnn A; PRATT, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to loose-leaf binders, and relates particularly to the fastening means for detachably attaching the cover to the binder, and to a flexible pressure means on the under side of the cover at the binding margin of the binder to exert pressure on a few or more sheets secured in the binder.

This invention has fora further object to improve the post-type binder by providing a fastening means for the top cover which is keyless, butt-onless, and which has no pro-' truding sections of posts; thereby leaving the top and bottom covers free of any projections or rough surfaces which would scratch, mar or damage the surfaces of desks, tables, etc.

A further object of the invention is to provide for post binders a locking means for securing the cover in place, which comprises a sliding plate adapted to have a looking engaging relation with the posts,so that when moved in one direction, it locks the cover in place and when moved in the opposite direction, it unlocks said cover. Said plate and posts beingunexposed, except for a portion of the length of the plate, which may be engaged by the thumb with the indo finger bearing against either side edge of the hinder to give .the necessary leverage for the sliding of said plate in. either direction. v p

A further obj ect of the invention is toprovide a binder with unexposed posts each having an annular groove, and a sliding plate adapted to be moved in one direction to enter in said grooves to lock the covers of the binder, and when moved in the opposite direction, to be withdrawn from said' grooves to release the top cover. Said posts and plate being unexposed,- except for a portion of said plate at the rear marginal edge of the binder, to permit a finger hold for sliding said plate.

A still further object of the invention is to combine with the locking means for the top cover of a post binder, a flexible pressure means. preferably a flat spring secured to the under side of the top cover at the binding portion thereof, which will lie against the sheets held between the covers of said binder. Such a-plate will act to com;

press and firmly hold the sheets when there are less than enough to fill the depth of the posts between the covers and which will continue to act and yet flatten out, as the binder is tilled the full depth between the covers.

That the invention maybe more fully understood, reference is had to the accompany-- ing drawings forming a part of the present description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which F ig. 1 is perspective view of aninexpensive post binder with my improved lock-v ing means and sheet holding means thereon.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig.

1 except that it shows the type of a more eX- pensive binder, and with sheets secured therein:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the post end of said binder showing in full and dotted lines the locking means for the cover;

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig l 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section as the same would appear if taken on the line 55 Fig. 4:;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sliding locking plate, and I Fig. 7 is an elevation of a'post unit and a SCI't W therefor. v

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

The customary binder of the character referred to comprises the top and bottom covers 1 and2 between which record sheets 3 are secured or bound. Both said covers have flexible portions 4 to provide a hinge for the raising orswinging back of the cover that the binder may be opened togive access to the sheets 3. From the flexible part 4 of the top cover 1 to the rear marginal edge of the binder is referred to as the securing or marginal binding portion of said'bin'derl Securedin any suitable manner to the marginalbinding part of the lower cover 2, in spaced relation and extending up therefrom, are binding posts 5. These posts are usually made in several detachable sec tions, to bebuilt up one on the other to provide for more and more sheets to be added to the binder. The post 5 is the first or initial section of; suitable height and at its upper end this post section is providedor formed with an annular groove ('3 and with a threaded opening 7 leading thereinto from the upper end, to receive the lower threaded end of the next adjacent post section or extension, and a cap screw 8 with an annular groove 9 is used for the said post, but the upper ends of said post are not exposed to view because of the cover plate 11, in the form of an inverted U channel, with closed opposite ends, placed on' and extending the full width transversely across the top cover 1 at the marginal binding edge of the binder. In Fig. 1 this cover plate, is preferably an exposed metal plate, whereas in Fig. 2 the plate is preferably covered with cloth or some other suitable material which is also used to cover the top cover 1 making it appear as a unitary structure. Said channel cover plate is cut out at the marginal edge of the binder, as at 12, for a portion of its length to expose an engaging portion of a locking plate 13 slidable in the channel plate and on the'top of the top cover 1. This plate 13 is best seen'in Figs. 2, 3, and 6 and shown along one edge as being formed or provided with a finger hold 14, and guiding flanges 15 to bear and slide against the rear Wall of the channel plate 11, see Figs. 3 and 5. The opposite or front edge of said plate 13 ,is formed or provided with a central or intermediate flange portion 16 to bear. and slide against the front wall of said channel plate 11, see also Figures 3 and 5, and from said flange 16 to the outer or opposite ends of said plate'the same is formed or provided with wedges 17. The finger hold 1 1 constitutes a flange, as shown, and it bears and rides against the edge of the cut out portion 12 of said channel plate. It will thus be observed that the flanges 14, 15 and 16 as they .bear against surfaces of the channel plate 11 hold and confine the plate 13 to its work, and that while the finger hold ortion of said plate is exposed, it is confined within the space occupied by the outside walls of the channel plate 11, and that therefore it does not protrude so as to mar the surface of a desk, table, etc.

When the top cover is in assembled position on the lower cover, by placing the index finger in the finger hold 14 on the plate 13 and the thumb against the left hand edge of the binder, looking at Fig. 3, and

' moving the plate 13 to the left, the wedges 17 will enter the grooves 6in the posts 5 and frictionally impinge said posts to lock the top cover in place. In similar manner, if the thumb is inserted in he finger hold 14 and the index finger is caused to bear against the right hand edge of the binder,

looking at Fig. 3, and the plate 13 is moved to the right, the wedges 17 are withdrawn from the grooves 6 in the posts 5 and out of impinging relation with said posts, releasing the top cover so that it may be removed from the binder.

To the underside of the top cover 1 and immediately below the locking plate 13 is riveted or otherwise suitably secured a spring plate 18 which is disposed transversely of the binder and with the opposite ends curved downwardly and outwardly to bear against any sheets placed between the covers of the binder, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This spring functions to secure the sheets in a compact manner when there are but a few sheets in the binder, and as the binder is filled the spring flattens out, however, continuing to function as a securing and compressing means for the sheets. Withmy improved keyless, buttonless and non-protruding cover securing means, I am able to construct the binder with a comparaposts, and cut away for a portion of its length along the rear marginal edge of the binder, and a slidable plate within said closure adapted to have an impinging lock ing relation with said posts, and having an exposed finger hold ortion coincident with the cut away ortion of said closure.

2. In a bin er of'the character described, incombination, top and bottom cover members, posts upstanding from the bottom cover member provided with annular grooves at their upper ends, the top cover member having openings to receive said posts, a closure on the top cover to enclose the grooved ends of said'posts and cut away for a portion of its length along the rear marginal edge of the binder, and a slidable plate within said closure having opposite end wedges adapted to enter the grooves in said posts and have an im inging locking relation with the. bodies 0 said posts, and ha ving an exposed finger hold portion coincident with the cut-away portion of said closure.

3. In a binder of the character described, in combination, top and bottom cover members, post-s upstanding from the bottom; cover member, the top cover member having openingsto receive said posts, a closure on adapted to have an impinging locking relation with said posts, and having an we posed finger hold portion coincident with the cut away portion of said closure, and a flexible sheet engaging member secured to the underside of said top cover member 1mmediately below said closure.

4:. In a binder of the character described, in combination, top and bottom cover members, posts upstanding from the bottom cover member provided, with annular grooves at their upper ends, the top cover member having openings to receive said posts, a closure on the top cover to enclose the grooved ends of said posts and cut away for a portion of its length along the rear marginal edge of the binder, a slidable plate within said closure having opposite end wedges adapted to enter the grooves in said posts and have an impinging locking relation with the bodies of said posts, and having an exposed finger hold portion coincident with the cut away portion of said closure, and a flexible sheet engaging member secured to the underside of said top cover member immediately below said closure.

5. A locking means for a post binder, comprising a plate stamped out of a single sheet of metal and formed with opposite wedge ends spaced by an upstanding guiding flange, and flanges along the opposite edge one of which is indented to provide a finger hold portion.

6. In a post binder, in combination with the posts locking means comprising a sliding plate formed with an intermediate finger hold portion along one edge and guiding flanges on either side of said finger hold portion, and a guiding flange and spaced wedging portions on the opposite edge of said plate, said wedging portions adapted to have an impinging locking relation with said posts.

7. In a post binder, in combination, posts provided with annular grooves at their upper ends, and a sliding plate having a finger hold portion on one edge, and wedging portions on its opposite edge adapted to enter the grooves in said posts and also have an impinging locking relation with said posts.

8. In a post binder, in combination, posts provided with annular grooves at their 11 per ends, a cover plate for the upper ends of the posts comprising an inverted U channel bar, the edge of said plate coincident with the margin of the binder being cut away for a portion of its length, a plate slidably carried within the channel of said cover plate and having guiding flanges lying and movable along the sides of said cover plate, a finger hold on said slidablc, plate coincident with the cut away portion of said cover plate, and wedging means on said slidable plate adapted to enter the grooves in said posts and also to have an impinging locking relation with said posts.

9. In a post binder, in combination, posts provided with annular grooves at their up per ends, a cover plate for the upper ends of the posts comprising an inverted U channel bar, the edge of said plate coincident with the margin of the binder being cut away for a portion of its length, a plate slidably carried within the channel of said cover plate and having guiding flanges lying and movable along the sides of said cover plate, a finger hold on said slidable plate coincident with the cutaway portion of said cover plate, wedging means on said slidable plate adapted to enter the grooves in said posts and also to have an impinging locking relation with said posts, and a flexible sheet engaging member secured to said binder immediately below said cover plate.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto atfixed my hand this 7th day of March, 1921.

EDIVARD A. PRATT. 

